Ever vow you were going to take a break......and then book your next trip?

[rutgers1]

For the past year, we have been saying that we were going to take a much needed break from Disney. Here is our progression:

Step 1: Over the past two yeas, we have traveled down from the Northeast about 4 times, including one 2-week excursion.

Step 2: At the end of our February break, we declared that we were done with Disney and were going to explore the world for a while.

Step 3: A short while later, a work-related event showed up on my calendar on the Disney property......."I can't miss that," I said. So, we headed down and paid cash to stay at the Dolphin. That was July (only 5 months later).

Step 4: When I got home from that trip, I once again declared that I had seen everything there was to see and needed a break. To "force" the break, I booked a Disney Cruise with my points. The thinking was, "If my points are tied up in the cruise, I won't use them for DVC."

Step 5: The other day, I heard that my son's favorite ride, Star Tours would be finished by this summer. Coincidentally (well, not such a coincidence since I went searching the web for it), I found out that the same work-related event was back down on the Disney property in July. Of course, I absolutely HAD to attend...........so I just borrowed points and we are booked at the Boardwalk for July.

April: bought DVC
August: took first trip
February: took second trip
July: took third trip
April: planned Disney cruise
July: planned return trip

My friends and relatives are starting to think we are crazy. The sad thing is that I agree.

 

[JWG]

For the past year, we have been saying that we were going to take a much needed break from Disney. Here is our progression:

Step 1: Over the past two yeas, we have traveled down from the Northeast about 4 times, including one 2-week excursion.

Step 2: At the end of our February break, we declared that we were done with Disney and were going to explore the world for a while.

Step 3: A short while later, a work-related event showed up on my calendar on the Disney property......."I can't miss that," I said. So, we headed down and paid cash to stay at the Dolphin. That was July (only 5 months later).

Step 4: When I got home from that trip, I once again declared that I had seen everything there was to see and needed a break. To "force" the break, I booked a Disney Cruise with my points. The thinking was, "If my points are tied up in the cruise, I won't use them for DVC."

Step 5: The other day, I heard that my son's favorite ride, Star Tours would be finished by this summer. Coincidentally (well, not such a coincidence since I went searching the web for it), I found out that the same work-related event was back down on the Disney property in July. Of course, I absolutely HAD to attend...........so I just borrowed points and we are booked at the Boardwalk for July.

April: bought DVC
August: took first trip
February: took second trip
July: took third trip
April: planned Disney cruise
July: planned return trip

My friends and relatives are starting to think we are crazy. The sad thing is that I agree.

I'm pretty sure Star Tours closes in May, so if you're going in July, don't let that be the reason - it will be too late.

But, yes, in our house it works a little different:

#1 - We take a trip and my wife says it's fine as long as we go somewhere else for our next trip.

#2 - Any of the following occur:
- It gets torturously cold in MN (-24 before wind chill) and I sell warmth
- My parents decide to go and invite us along on their points (we both own)

#3 - I book a trip (go back to #1)

So far, I've sold my wife on:
- It will be fun to go with family (2007)
- Parents invite, winter is cold (2009)
- Parents invite (Jan 2010)
- The holidays will be great, we need family time because of my 50% work travel (Dec 2010)
- Food and wine! You love wine! (2011)

She then convinced me that we needed to wait until at least Dec 2012 after the Oct 2011 trip. So we have a Dream cruise in April 2012 to fill the gap .

But, no trips planned after December 2012 yet though.

 

[rlduvall]

Yep! I do it every time I come back . . . then about 2 weeks later I'm scheming how to get back. This December it was freezing the whole time so I told my DH don't ever let me go back in December [that's my solo trip time]. Now I'm already contemplating it, while thinking about taking my DS in June, while we already have a family trip to southern California in July with 2 days for Disneyland.

 

[rutgers1]

This site says that Star Tours reopens in May.

 

[rutgers1]

JWG....You appear to be my "brother from another mother."

 

[JWG]

This site says that Star Tours reopens in May.

Yea, you're totally right. I'm a year off... I'm still thinking it's 2010... It does launch in May for Star Wars weekends 2011 versus closing following that event 2010...

I just want it to be 2010 because I was in FL in 2010 at this time...

 

[Norm1]

In 62 days I will be taking my 64th trip to DW and I have two more trips after booked in 2011. I am just as excited for this trip as I was on my first. I think I felt that way once like you(that I may be getting to much Disney) but I laid down until the feeling past and haven't felt that way sense, LOL.

 

[Tosie]

Yes!

We were "taking 2011 off."

Now we're hoping to go to MNSSHP.

 

[soxyes]

We've vowed to take breaks just to save up a bit of cash. Then, I tend to get cabin fever and there we go... You can tell which vacations are which based upon when they were scheduled. I'm grateful that my DH loves heading out to WDW too. Our history:

May 2003 - first trip for 3 yr old son--scheduled 1 yr out
June 2007 - first trip for 3 yr old dtr--scheduled 1 yr out
Nov 2008 - Park/Disney cruise trip (the planning started on our last night on the June 07 trip)--scheduled 1 yr out
Mar 2009 - had to go back, buy 4 get 3 free--- what a deal! booked 2 months prior
Aug 2009 - buy 1 get 1 free (air, hotel, tickets) --- we HAD to go! booked 1 month prior
------>started considering DVC on this trip
Aug 2010 - had bought resale, first trip staying at OKW---booked about 6 months out
Nov 2010 - 4 park nights & 3 nights on Disney wonder--- had points that must be used up before Feb! booked 4 months prior
Mar 2011 - 6 nights at AKV---it's too cold in Chicago and I have cabin fever! Look, it's practically free!! (annual passes in hand, DVC points, biggest expenses are airfare and food)
July 2011 - Treehouse Villas with extended family---scheduled 1 yr out

I'm already wondering how I'll manage to go from July 2011 to the next summer.... I guess we'll see what happens!

 

[kikiq]

Have you been talking to my DH?

After our November trip last year, I (yes, me the Disney fiend) said maybe we should save our points and have a blowout family Disney cruise and stay in December 2012. My brothers and DDs are on board, everyone saving up for airfare, park hoppers, meals and their share of MFs. Even added on a few other folks to join us. THEN this week, my DH says to me, "WHEN do YOU have our trip booked?" I say, "Oh, I have VGC booked for Memorial Day weekend and for our anniversary weekend in July."(We live in SoCal) He says, "NO, our WDW trip for this year." WHAT!?!? We already have borrowed into this year's points. Was thinking that we would need to bank and borrow to do Dec 2012 trip. But now he's saying that he NEEDS to go this year too.

I know there's some conspiracy with you Disney husbands.

 

[rutgers1]

I know how "legit" my reason for always wanting to go every year is, but this is it....

---> I don't know how to relax. Never have, never will. When I get home from my day job, I keep working at it. Then I work on my hobby, which is not only a second job, but a second obsession. I stop both obsessions just in time to fall asleep for a few hours and start again. I am one of those people who is attached to computer at all times and thinking about work to the point where it surely isn't healthy.......Disney World, as well as the beach, are the only two places where I can get away and actually forget everything for a while.

It absolutely and totally recharges my batteries. At the same time, it recharges my creativity. After a trip to Disney, not only am I rested, but I also have creative inspiration that I can't get at home.

 

[kikiq]

I know how "legit" my reason for always wanting to go every year is, but this is it....

---> I don't know how to relax. Never have, never will. When I get home from my day job, I keep working at it. Then I work on my hobby, which is not only a second job, but a second obsession. I stop both obsessions just in time to fall asleep for a few hours and start again. I am one of those people who is attached to computer at all times and thinking about work to the point where it surely isn't healthy.......Disney World, as well as the beach, are the only two places where I can get away and actually forget everything for a while.

It absolutely and totally recharges my batteries. At the same time, it recharges my creativity. After a trip to Disney, not only am I rested, but I also have creative inspiration that I can't get at home.

OMG, except for the computer part because I think my DH is the only engineer who is computer illiterate, you could be my DH or maybe his clone/brother or whatever. That second part I have heard him say ALMOST word for word especially the "recharges my batteries, recharges my creativity". He says that our DVC is a necessity because it puts him in a place where he can really relax otherwise he is only a phone call away from work.

 

[dairyqueenmom]

We were going to take a break this year and go to Palm Beach, last Sunday we changed our minds and booked a week trip in August. We all just couldn't imagine not going to Disney! We are addicted!

 

[Mickey Fliers]

We were also going to take a break for 2011 (except for DH and I who ran Marathon weekend), because our last few years looked like this:

Feb. 2008 - Last trip for awhile since I found out I was pregnant with fourth
Jan. 2009 - Disney cruise with a one day park add on.
Mar. 2010 - Actually took that break I was talking about.
May 2010 - DH and I 15th anniversary. Great Disney trip
Sept. 2010 - Take all the kids again for DS's 8th bday.
Jan. 2011 - Marathon weekend

Now just booked

Mar 2011 - Taking the kids by myself as one last get away before AP's expire.

Before Feb 2008, I would have to pull out the photo albums to know exact dates, but I would say we were down almost 2x/year.

After this last trip, we WILL be taking a break from the parks. We are planning on a 2 night Universal stay this summer followed by 6 nights at Vero. And then we will be going back next Jan. for Marathon weekend, but that really won't be a Park visit.

Yeah right!

 

[alldiz]

My last trip was 11/09....feels like forever....we used 2yrs of points for a combined WDW and DCL.
Last year we went to Fire Island, cruised down to the Caribbean....NO DISNEY!

We are going to WDW for almost 2 weeks in April 2011 with a 4 night Carnival cruise in the middle.

Now I'm obsessed again....
Should I get an AP because I want to go back for F&W fest in October.
Hmmmmm......If I get an AP...Easter break is early next year and I could get another trip out of that...
And since it will be April 2012....I'll have new points to borrow

Which leads me to my current problem....I want to Add-on now....
Looking at resale....I only want 50pts...might just go direct so I can bank my 2010 April UY points.

Ugh!....I went from a self imposed Disney break to Out of control Disney planner who wants to add on points...and I'm looking at every resale place I can....Oh boy....I can get 100pt at BWV for 2000 more than 50pts direct
But do I want all my points in 1 place....

I need to take another break Ahem....
Kerrii

 

[soxyes]

It must be contageous because I'd love to purchase an add-on now. My initial thought was just 40 points (even contracts for each child), but the resales look quite attractive... We can get 100 points for about $1500 more.... Hmmmmmm

My DH is going to kill me!!! Maybe if I bring it up gently and let it simmer with him for a bit, he'll see my point of view?

 

[YoMickey]

We have 9 nights booked for Easter this April.

Our annual pass expires in June.

We are out of points until Dec.1st 2012.

I publicly vow to do something else until at least spring of 2013....hopefully a cruise.

 

[Simba's Mom]

I'm going thru that right now. We vowed we weren't going to Disney again for a "whole year", until October 2011. Now I'm wondering how to squeeze another trip in.

 

[ajf1007]

We have gone every year for the past 5 years (5 years ago was my first trip ever to WDW at the age of 35 and bought DVC not soon after that trip!) and decided this year we'd take a break and get back on track with our points.

We took a big DisneyLand trip last year and whooped it up in a 2 bedroom at the Grand Californian, which we had to borrow all of our '2011 points except for 15 of them. Anyway this year we decided to head to St. Augustine for a week instead (instead means I don't have points left. So I've casually mentioned that since we're so close to WDW we could take a night or two in cash. Of course, this has been just casual conversation which he hasn't actually acknowledged but I think he's on to me.

'2012 we're taking the whole family to WDW and last night just decided that in '2013 we'd head to the Boardwalk and '2014 we'd head to Vero Beach.

Hi I'm Amy and I have a Disney addiction.....

 

[princessfionasmom]

Yes!

We were "taking 2011 off."

Now we're hoping to go to MNSSHP.

This is totally us! Last year we decided we were takin this year off, ha ha ha. I went beginning of Jan with one of my girlfriends and ran the half marathon. Then when
I got back DH says how nice it is that I got to go. So I started playing around with dates and said wouldn't it be fun to go for a long weekend over Columbus day weekend and do MNSSHP (DH's favorite event). So he laughs it off and then next day comes home and asks if I booked it yet! I thought he was kidding but now we are really going. YEAH!!!!